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Well, Jesus expected His disciples to forgive perfectly-until seven times? Nay, I say, until 70 times 7. And if you know the context, this is speaking 70x7 times in a day, so if you want to take it literally, it means we should forgive a brother who repents 490 times each day.

Of course, there is a more spiritual way to see it, which is, of course, to forgive in a complete, perfect manner, 7 being the number of completion and perfection.

And we know, if we are to forgive one another in such a manner, so we will be forgiven by Him even more so! Maybe we can't always forget when we forgive, but we should ACT like we do, when possible.

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It is interesting to see the uses in the Bible of forgive and all its wordings.

Forgive - 48 times in scriptures 27 in the Old Testament and 21 in the New Testament

Forgiving - 4 times in the scriptures 2 times in the Old Testament and 2 times in the New Testament

Forgiveness - 7 times in scriptures and all but one is found in the New Testament

Forgave - 7 times in scriptures and all but one is found in the New Testament

Forgiveth - 2 times in scriptures once in the Old and once in the New Testament (see below for these two references) not found in the church writings of Paul.

Found in the church writings of Paul

Forgive - 4 times in three verses in the church writings of Paul

2Co 2:7 So that contrariwise ye [ought] rather to forgive [him], and comfort [him], lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

2Co 2:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;

2Co 12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except [it be] that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

Forgiving - 2 times in the church writings of Paul

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye.

Forgiveness - 2 times in the writings of Paul

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:

Forgave - 4 times in 2 verse in the Church writings of Paul

2Co 2:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;

Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye.

These two are not found in the church writings of Paul and are the only two uses in the entire Bible

Ps 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Lu 7:49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

If it is that many times in Paul's writings then it is a doctrine for the body of Christ today. And this doctrine should be correctly taught and practiced. Of the uses of the brother who was put out of fellowship forgiveness was proven by admitting him back into the fellowship after he had repented. We cannot just let everything go for the sake of forgiveness proper practice is to put the sinner out of fellowship if they return and confess before all their repentance then forgiveness is given and fellowship resumed. If their sin is not found out by the fellowship but the offender stands and admits to sin, repents and asks the fellowship forgiveness we are to give it freely and no need to put out of fellowship.

Now there are things that are not sin and no need to put out of fellowship such as the two ladies who may have had a difference of opinion. for them we are to help them to forgiven each other that their relationship be not hindered with themselves, the fellowship and with God.

How we are to forgive when asked? We are to forgive like God and Christ did, freely without condition.